PersonalResponsibility

Maybe Zmarzlik is just so far ahead of the rest? If you removed him then I'm sure Lindgren/Holder/Bewley/Lambert/etc. would share world titles between them, just like previous generations had multiple riders pushing each other. I'd enjoy watching Zmarzlik against the top 5/8 from 20 years ago, too, in fairness. I think he'd be very competitive. Laguta had 4 seasons to beat Zmarzlik btw, and managed it once. I don't think he was a genuine long-term challenger, he just had the season of his life. Like Chris Holder did in 2012. You can't take it away from him, but he won't go down as a true great, I also don't think he'd have won another.

I thought she did herself proud. Her gating was the main thing that let her down, once she was racing she seemed pretty competitive, and certainly not afraid to race/pass. It makes more sense after reading that she was somewhat hesitant due to the conditions. There have been worse U21 riders in the past. Hopefully she gets more chances to improve.

Lady luck sorted us out there in fairness. Kujawa was an anomaly but imagine looking back at Tomas Suchanek as a World Champion? Kasprzak flattered to deceive a lot but dear lord.

We've currently got a 30 minute delay while we wait for the rain to pass. If it's been 30 minutes, read this message again.

I don't expect this to restart, the rain radar looks like even worse is on the way. Not the greatest meeting so far.

Streaming pass to watch all qualifiers + final (+ today's SGP2 qualifier at Glasgow) on here 👍 https://fim-moto.tv/sgp_challenge

He also said on TNT/BSN (can't remember which) that he was more bothered about winning a 4th British title than getting the Wild Card, hence why he went for it and ended up last in the final. There's nothing wrong with that attitude at all, but to then be offered and accept first reserve doesn't seem right.

We'll have to make sure Hagon gets the reserve spot for our SGP2 round then, unless...? I can almost, almost, get the argument that people want the best riders competing, but you have to draw the line somewhere, surely? Harris has made 103 GP appearances, is this really the best choice for British speedway? Sam Hagon might finish last, if he even got a ride - but so will Harris most likely - at least he might learn something from the experience.

Harris and Ellis the reserves for BV, then. I'm sure any experience Harris picks up in his 104th GP appearance will stand him in good stead for 2026.

I hope they can at least see out the season, at least to have a proper farewell/send off meeting for the fans. As for a winless season, the last one I remember was Mildenhall in the 2nd flight in 2008. You won't believe who their TM was.

It did get me thinking after my previous post about Grim Reaper Rogers...MJJ has ridden less than 50 meetings in the UK, and by the end of this season, all of his previous clubs will be defunct. I'm sure you could probably make this point with a lot of riders in the last 20 years, but it seems he and Rogers are a duo you'd want to swerve at all costs!

Scott Smith won the very next British U21 final, though. I agree the standard isn't as high as it was, but 1990 is a specific example of a golden generation, there were still bang average winners around the same time.

They ain't wrong though, are they? Believe me, I know how crap it is watching your team slowly die, but it's just one thing after the other. I'm sure Nigel Tolley means well, and he's probably put everything into the club (at his expense), but the whole thing has been a shambles. The writing probably should've been on the wall when Grim Reaper Rogers became involved, sadly.

Surprised he makes it to every GP with the splinters in his backside, the bloke never gets off the fence. Too scared to upset any of his buddies it would appear. The rest of them aren't great either, though. Chris Louis is superb as a co-commentator to fill the gaps, but Kelvin probably isn't a natural lead commentator (albeit not forgetting the sad circumstances as to why he's there). The whole thing needs a new lease of life I think. The fanzone yesterday was exactly the same as it was when we went to a GP years ago. Do people really want to watch trials bikes and meet a giant mascot? Surely there has to be something more engaging? Same applies for the coverage.

It's difficult to judge riders who've had a full career v those who have had 3/4 seasons at most. Cairns and Harrison could be top riders, as could/will Dan Thompson. Even then, Joe Thompson, Hagon, etc. I'm sure will have decent careers. It's not as though Howe, Stead or Kennett were ever truly world class riders. I couldn't watch today but I'm pleased Luke Harrison had a good meeting. I know he's a little bit older, but he's equally as good as Cairns but never seems to get the same hype. Seems a sensible lad and is progressing nicely.

Definitely not! There was plenty being drunk tonight (with no problems caused). We half wondered if the lack of a permanent club in Warsaw attracts more day-tripper/fairweather fans than Torun/Gorzow/Wroclaw's core fanbase? Who knows. Either way, it was probably still about 10x better than any British atmosphere I've experienced recently!

Also there and half agree. It was a good experience seeing speedway in such a big stadium, but I wasn't blown away by the atmosphere. Poles are great when Bartosz is winning but it goes down a level for virtually anyone else, and there's barely any atmosphere at all when a Pole isn't involved. We've done Torun before and the atmosphere was better there. Not a bad meeting racing-wise though - although no classics - and I enjoyed it overall. Best wishes to Jason, nasty crash and he looked in a lot of pain.

It's the first time I've seen him ride for a while and I can't believe how unwilling he is to mix it. I genuinely thought it was forum hyperbole the way it was being described, but no, he just doesn't seem willing to race at close quarters.

Any thoughts on Saturday's GP? 365 have odds on. Doyle and Lambert look like the picks for me. Doyle has started pretty well, and I think Lambert will be right there at the end of the season - big season for him.

Bang on. Stevebrum being a bit misleading with the 'facts' there (shock). MJJ is a transformed rider, even since last year, and I'm sure - if committed - he can be one of the Premiership's top riders.

Maybe it would, that's his problem. I just thought the other post was a bit of a needless dig. Not at all surprised, though. I enjoy going to Berwick regardless tbh - and will do even moreso now. The racing will never be great but it's rarely awful, and it's a big, fast track where you can spectate very closely. Not many left these days.

Classy as ever. Dick by name... In fairness, I'd happily turn up to watch Tamas Sike riding round a ploughed field, now we don't have to listen to your waffle.

Might he have picked a more appropriate time to make his decision in that case?

Well, yes, but is one pre-season challenge really the limit of keeping the club's name alive? I think you know the point I'm making. If there are things going on in the background then great, not everything needs to be broadcast, and certainly no benefit in getting everyone's hopes up/dashed time and time again. Not sure whether you're agreeing or disagreeing re. riders. It's sadly just facts that there aren't many riders left, and there'll be less and less the longer the club is inactive. If it needs a couple of fillers to make a team then nobody can really complain. There are many obstacles to building a track these days, as you've said. You can add on noise complaints too. Probably the biggest obstacle of all is the current economic conditions, and who is really going to plough £100k's into a declining sport. We'll perhaps never know how close we were/weren't to something coming to fruition not long before the closure, but sadly that oaf butcher put paid to any hopes. Hopefully tonight is an enjoyable meeting.

Is there any objective in having this meeting other than a run out for Redcar and to make a few quid? It's strange that there's been very little made of getting Newcastle back. No fan get togethers, no fundraising, no keeping the name alive. Just silence. It's never going to come back to Brough Park obviously, but is anyone doing anything to try other options? The long-term people all seem to have happily moved on to different tracks too. Decent line-up tonight anyway. Mostly riders who did well for Newcastle and are well remembered. Rather sadly, riders like Simon Lambert and Danny Phillips are needed to fill in even though they were very forgettable as Diamonds, but time moves on and there aren't many former riders remaining.